Seats



May 18, 1965 B. CRONlN SEATS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 5, 1961 May 18, 1965 B. CRONIN 3,183,558

SEATS Filed Jan. 3, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 Claims. (Cl. 20-1126) The present invention relates to seating and more particularly to the type of seating that can be erected and disassembled quickly.

An object of the present invention is to provide seating suitable for erection in tiers or upon a sloping surface of the type which can be used in circuses and other public enclosures. V V

Travelling circuses frequently remain in one place for one or two nights and the marquee containing the ring is surrounded by tiered seating which heretofore had to be assembled and disassembled piece. by piece. This is a time wasting operation and even when erected the seats frequently are not particularly comfortable.

According to the present invention a seating unit comprises a substantially flat framework which supports a seating surface and a footboard which when open are inclined at such an angle to the horizontal that when the framework is inclined at this angle'the seats andfoot rests become horizontal, said seating and footboard being collapsible onto the framework to pack substantially flat.

Conveniently a plurality of seating surfaces and footboards can be mounted one behind the other on a framework so that when erected on the framework they form a tier of seats of any required number when the framework is inclined to the horizontal. The number of seats and the footboards are so chosen that the assembly can be carried by two men. The dimensions of the framework are such that it is loadable upon a lorry.

The invention will'now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a tier of seats constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 shows the assembly folded flat for transport;

FIGURE 3 shows in section and on an enlarged scale a cross section through one of the tiers of seats;

FIGURE 4 shows on an enlarged scale a detail of the seat fixing; and

FIGURE 5 shows a section on the same scale as FIG- URE 3 through a part of the assembly when the seat is collapsed.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the seats are mounted one behind the other in a metal frame 1 including two sides members 1a of angled metal. Each seat unit comprises a seating surface 2 supported upon legs 3. Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5, each seat 2 has hinged to it at each end on a pivot 4 the leg frame 3, the arrangement being such that the leg frame can fold flat against the underside of the seat 2.

Each leg frame 3 includes a pair of flanges 6 each of which at their lower end is slotted at 7 to engage the horizontal flange 8 of the angle of the side members 1a. To retain the leg frame 3 firmly in position when erected the leg frame 3 is provided with a pair of apertures 9 which are received over studs 10 projecting from the inside of the vertical flange 8a of angle of the side member 1a.. These studs are waisted or grooved so that a pivoted lever 11 provided with appropriately spaced open ended slots 12 engages the waist or groove in the stud 10 to lock the leg frame 3 onto the frame 1.

To give added lateral stability a member 13 is pivotally connected by means of a hinge 13a to the underneath side of the seat 2. The member 13 hangs downwards under the action of gravity when the seat is erected, with United States Patent 0 its ends engaging the inside faces of the leg frames 3. This member 13 also serves to prevent the legs from accidentally collapsing inwardly should they not be prop erly locked onto the frame 1.

The seats 2 are set at an angle to the frame 1 so that when the frame 1 is mounted on scaffolding or trestles 14 at said angle to the horizontal the seat 2 is horizontal. Mounted in front of each seat assembly. is a pivoted footboard 15, the board being pivoted at its rear end at 16 to a cross member 16a mounted on the frame] andin the erected position being supported at an angle to the frame 1 by means of a pivoted strut 17, the lower end of which rests upon flange 8 of side member 1a and against frame cross member 18.

To collapse the seating for transport the leg frames 3 of each seat are disengaged from the frame 1 and are folded to lie beneath the seat 2. The folded seat and leg frames are then rested across the side members 1a to be supported upon the horizontal flanges 8 and are conveniently of such a depth as to lie within the heightof the vertical flange 8a of the frame. The pivoted strut 17 is folded beneath the footboard 15 so that the footboard collapses also to lie within the thickness of the vertical flange 8a of the frame side members 1a. In this Way a whole tier of seats can be packed flat for transport in an exceedingly short period and will travel in a truck stacked with similar tiers in a minimum space. When it is desired to re-erect the seats all that is necessary is for the footboards 15 to be lifted into position and the seats once more to be erected. The tier of seats assembled in the single frame is then ready to be mounted on the scaffolding 0r trestles. By providing a number of tiers or seats alongside each other there is produced continuousseating with a continuous footboard which is rigid when erected and which can be disassembled and packed ready for trans port in the minimum of time.

If desired, detachable back tests may be provided and for this purpose a socket 20 is provided at conveniently spaced intervals on the back of the seat 2 adapted to receive the lower ends of backrest frames.

If desired the frame member 1 may be provided with folding legs of increasing length towards the rear so that the assembly of seats can be erected on its own legs to provide a sloping tier of seats. This is particularly convenient when the frame houses only two or three tiers of seats one behind the other.

For ease of securing the frame 1 to the sloping base support keyhole slots 22 or other means may be provided for this purpose.

What I claim is:

l. A portable seating assembly comprising a rectangular frame having inwardly facing L-shaped side members and having series of spaced cross members connecting the side members; a series of seat units each comprising a seating surface and foldable leg members hingedly secured thereto at each side; said seat units and foldable leg members being located within alternate spaces between the cross members; releasable means on the side members within the alternate spaces between the cross members securing the lower ends of the leg members to the frame side members when the leg members are normally extended; and a like series of footboards within the remaining spaces pivotally secured at their rear ends to the cross members at the fronts of their related seat members; said footboards having foldable supports at their front ends engaging when extended the cross member at the rear of the next adjacent seat to maintain the footboard substantially horizontal when the frame is inclined at a predetermined angle to the horizontal.

2. In an assembly as set forth in claim 1, the lower ends of the leg members being horizontally slotted and receiving when extended the horizontal flanges of the frame side members.

3. In an assembly as set forth in claim 1, said releasable means comprising-inwardly extending headed lugs on the vertical flanges of the frame side members extendingthruogh holes in the lower ends of the legs; and locking levers pivoted on the lower ends of the legs having open notches in their edges which in one position of the. levers engage and receive the said lugs between their heads and. the legs to normally prevent folding of the legs.

4. A portable seating assembly comprising a rectangular frame having inwardly facing L-shaped side members and having'series of spaced cross members connecting the side members; a seriesof seat units each comprising a seating surface, and foldable leg members hingedly secured thereto at each side; said seat units and foldable leg members being located within alternate spaces between the cross members; releasable means on the side members within the alternate spaces between the cross members securing the lower ends of the leg members to the frame side members when the leg members are normally extended; said seating surfaces and legs when the latter are folded resting between and within the limits of the heights of the frame side members Within said alternate spaces; and a like series of footboards within the remaining spaces pivotally secured at their rear ends to the cross members at the fronts of their related seat members; said footboards having foldable supports at their front ends engaging when extended the cross member at the rear ofthe next adjacent seat member to maintain the footboard substantially horizontal when the frame is in clined at a predetermined angle to the horizontal, and said footboards and supports when folded lying within the limits of the heights of the said frame side members.

5. In an assembly as set forth in claim 4, the lower ends of the leg members being horizontally slotted and receiving when extended the horizontal flanges of the frame side members.

6. In an assembly as set forth in claim 4, said releasable means comprising inwardly extending headed lugs on the being'releasable, said seat units and footboards alter-' nating on said frame; the frame including bottom and side walls, the height of each'side wall being at least equal to the depth of a folded seat whereby the seat units and footboards can be packed Wholly within the confine of the frame, the frame including a plurality'of first. and second cross members defining alternate spaces receiving the seat units and footboards respectively, each footboard being hinged at its rear end to a first cross member to be pivotable between a retracted position in which it rests between the frame side-walls, and a partially elevated position in which thetop surface of the footboard projects out from the frame, and each footboard including at its front end a folding strut which is arranged to bear against a second cross member to hold the footboard in its extended position. 7

References Cited by the. Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS.

WILLIAM I. MUSHAKE, Examiner. 

1. A PORTABLE SEATING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR FRAME HAVING INWARDLY FACING L-SHAPED SIDE MEMBERS AND HAVING SERIES OF SPACED CROSS MEMBERS CONNECTING THE SIDE MEMBERS; A SERIES OF SEAT UNITS EACH COMPRISING A SEATING SURFACE AND FOLDABLE LEG MEMBERS HINGEDLY SECURED THERETO AT EACH SIDE; SAID SEAT UNITS AND FOLDABLE LEG MEMBERS BEING LOCATED WITHIN ALTERNATE SPACES BETWEEN THE CROSS MEMBERS; RELEASABLE MEANS ON THE SIDE MEMBERS WITHIN THE ALTERNATE SPACES BETWEEN THE CROSS MEMBERS SECURING THE LOWER ENDS OF THE LEG MEMBERS TO THE FRAME SIDE MEMBERS WHEN THE LEG MEMBERS ARE NORMALLY EXTENDED; AND A LIKE SERIES OF FOOTBOARDS WITHIN THE REMAINING SPACS PIVOTALLY SECURED AT THEIR REAR ENDS TO THE CROSS MEMBERS AT THE FRONTS OF THEIR RELATED SEAT MEMBERS; SAID FOOTBOARDS HAVING FOLDABLE SUPPORTS AT THEIR FRONT ENDS ENGAGING WHEN EXTENDED THE CROSS MEMBER AT THE REAR OF THE NEXT ADJACENT SEAT MAINTAIN THE FOOTBOARD SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL WHEN THE FRAME IS INCLINED AT A PREDETERMINED ANGLE TO THE HORIZONTAL. 